Cigarette and match pack dispenser



Jan. l3, 1959 w. R. WILKINSON CIGARETTE AND MATCH PACE DISPENSER FiledAprivl 1, 1957 4. 6 5 zu 6 42 4 M., n! Mw 2 8 4 w: 4. 2V o ,43 0o 5 0 04o 0 4R E, 3 AE 2 o wz l ze f 1w Aw A A w ,i 5. \7..//

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Uited States CIGARETTE AND MATCH PACK DISPENSER Walter R. Wilkinson,Syracuse, N. Y. Application April 1, 1957, Serial No. 650,027

2 Claims. (Cl. 312-42) This invention relates to cigarette and matchpack dispensing magazines and more particularly to a magazine forreadily accommodating cigarette packs of standard or king size.

In a magazine of the type referred to it has been proposed to provide achute havingthe correct width and depth dimensions adapted to nicelyaccommodate either a standard size cigarette pack, or a king size pack.While the chute could be made adjustable so as to accommodate eithersize, such a construction with its adjustment is complicated, expensiveand cumbersome in appearance.

The present invention is directed to a magazine adapted to hold thestandard carton pack of cigarettes, that is, 10 packs of either kingsize or standard size, and in which provision is made in the magazinefor a supply of book matches. A preferred arrangement is such as toprovide a chute for a stack of standard size cigarette packs and chutesfor two stacks of book match packs arranged on edge, or a chute for astack of king size packs and a single chute for a stack of bookmatchesdisposed on edge. The magazine chutes are so arranged that by combininga match chute with a cigarette pack chute, of dimensions of standardpacks, a single chute of the correct size to receive king size packs isprovided. The change from one size cigarette pack to the other `isaccomplished by a mere removal of a freely sliding par,- tition.

The above and other novel features of the invention will appear morefully hereinafter from the following detailed description when taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings. lt is expressly understoodthat the drawings are employed for purposes of illustration only and arenot designed as a definition of the limits `of the invention, referencebeing had for this purpose to the appended claims.

In the drawings wherein like reference characters indicate like parts:

Figure 1 is a front elevational View of the magazine with a portionbroken away to show the removable partition;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the lower portionwith a partition removed to accommodate king size packs;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 4-4 ofFigure l;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 5 5 ofFigure l;

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 6-6 ofFigure 3;

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the lower portion of the magazine witha cigarette and match box removed;

aperture 24 for suspending on the wall from a nail or the like. Themagazine comprises side members 26 and 28 anda front member 30, whichtogether with the back 20 provide a rectangular sectioned housing. Theinside surface of the back member 20 and the inside surface of the frontmember 30 are provided with spaced grooves, as at 32 and 34 in the backmember, and 36 and 38 in the front member. These grooves extendthroughout the length of these members and are spaced a suthcientdistance from -their respective adjacent side walls 26 and 28 so thatwhen partition members 40 and 42 are positioned in the grooves there isprovided between side member 26 and partition member 40 a verticalnarrow chute 44 for book matches such as 46 arranged on edge, and asecond narrow chute 48 adjacent side member 28 for book matches alsodisposed on edge, and a rectangular chute 50 between partitions 40 and42, the dimensions of which are suitable to receive a stack of standardsize cigarette packages.

The thickness of either one of the partitions 40 and 42 plus the widthof either one of the book match chutes 44 or 48 is approximately'thediiference between the length of a standard size cigarette pack andaking size cigarette pack. By so dimensioning the parts, upon theremoval of a partition, either 40 or 42., the chute 50 (see Figure 5)becomes enlarged as at 52 (see Figure 6) so as to accommodate king sizecigarette packs. The magazine thus is capable of `providing storagespace for a stack of l0 packs of cigarettes, king size as at 52 when apartition is removed as indicated in Figures 3 and 6 together With asingle stack of book matches, or a stack of standard sizecigarette packsas at 50, and two stacks of book matches when both partitions are inplace as is indicated in Figures l, 4 and 5.

The lower end of the side walls 26 and.28 and the lower end of thepartition members 40 and 42, are cut away as at 54, 56, 58 and 60, andthe forward panel or member 30 terminates at its lower end a distanceabove the end member 62 as is indicated at 64 to render the cigaretteand match book packs accessible. The distance or opening height betweenthe end member 62 and the lower end 64 of the front panel 30 issomething less than the thickness of two packs of cigarettes, it beingunderstood that the thickness of either king size or standard size isapproximately the same. The distance or opening height, however, isvsomewhat greater than the width of a pack of book matches.

By so spacing the lower edge 64 of the front member 30 and the deck 62,one is able to remove a pack of cigarettes, one pack at a time and alsoto remove a book match pack, one pack at a time. It will be understoodthat the internal dimensions between the front and back walls and sidewalls and partitions are such as to permit cigarette packs toslidefreely downward to displace `eachpack as removed from the entranceopening at the bottom of the magazine, and likewise the chutes 44 and 48for the book matches are of suflicientv dimension so as to permit thefree movement of such books when stacked one above the other so thatupon removal of each pack the remaining packs will gravitate to place anew pack in position for access and removal. At the same time the crosssectional dimensions of the chutes 44 and 48 are such as to assurealignment of match packs in proper stacking relation. An inspection slot70 may be provided `to show when the supply of packs is getting low.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that a magazine forcigarette and match packs is provided which may be readily converted toaccommodate one size of cigarette pack or the other by merely sliding apartition into place, or removing the same. This feature renders themagazine useful, no matter if the user changes brand, or purchases thesame as a gift for one whose brand is unknown. Preferably the magazinewill be made from wood panels of 1%6 to M1" thickness. If desired, themagazine can be made with a single slide partition, and provision for astack ,of king s'izercigarettes without a stack of match books, when thepartition is removed, or 4a stack of Astandard size cigarette packs andastack of match books with the partition in place. While Wood has been`referred to as a material affording pleasing appearance, plastics andother materials may be employed.

In the specification and claims, Vthe reference to standard and kingsize cigarette `packs are to such packs as are presently on the market`each of .which have a thickness of about 15/16 and a width of about2%"-, theV height or length .of the ,standard pack being about 213716whereas the height or length of vthe king size pack being about 3%6".Further, reference to the book y,match pack refers to such packs as havea height lnot -greater than, and generally somewhat less than, the-width .of the cigarette pack, or about 1%", and a maximum thickness ofless than 3/3", and a width appreciably less than the thickness of twopacks of cigarettes, or about 11/2". Thus when a partition is removed,whose thickness is about 9/16" or lt'f, the width of .the cigarette packchute is increased approximately a half inch to accommodate the largesize, at the expense of a stack of book match packs.

While Va single embodiment of the invention -has been illustrated anddescribed, it `is to Vbe understood that the invention is notlimitedthereto. As various vchanges in the construction and arrangement maybemade lwithout departing from ,the spirit of the invention, as willheight less than the thickness of two cigarette packs,

and greater than the width kof a book match pack, for the removal of alowermost cigarette pack or an "edgewise disposed match pack from saidhousing, one :at a time, said 4side panels being of a depth tosubstantially correspond to the width of a lpack yof cigarettes, and ysaid back and front panels each having vertical grooves on their insidefaces adjacent to and kequally spaced from said side walls, an-dremovable partitions slidably disposed in said grooves and extending tothe bottom member, said grooves being so spaced from said side wallsthat either of `said partitions when in position reduces the width ofsaid housing by the approximate difference between the height ofstandard and king size packs of cigarettes, and said partitions, when inplace, being spaced from their respective adjacent side walls a distancesubstantially the thickness of a book match pack, and being spaced fromone another the height of a standard size cigarette pack, whereby toprovide a single chute for a stack of standard cigarette packs disposedflat with their longest dimensions extending parallel with the plane ofthe back panel, and two chutes for two stacks of book match packsstacked ,edgewise, or a single chute for a stack of king size cigarettesdisposed iiat with their longest ldimension extending parallel with ytheplane of the back panel, Vand a single book match stack upon the removalof one of said partitions.

2. A magazine for cigarette and book match packs stacked at, andedgewise respectively, comprising a rectangular section verticallyextending housing comprising front and back panels and connecting vside,panels, said housing being open 4at Vthe top, `and having a transversebottom member at the -lower end, .said ,housing being open at the frontadjacent said bottom member a height less than the thickness of Vtwocigarette packs, and greater than -the width `of ,a book match pack, forthe removal of a lowermost Acigarette 4pack or an edgewise disposedmatch .pack from Asaid housing, one at a time, said side panels being.of -a depth to substantially correspond ,to the width of a pack ofcigarettes, and said back and front panels each -having at least onevertical groove directly on their inside ,faces opposite one another anduniformly `spaced from ione of said side walls', and a removablepartition slidably disposed in said groove and extending from `the opentop to the bottom member, said grooves being so spaced from said oneside wall that said Vpartition when in position reduces the width ofsaid housing by the lapproximate diierence between the height yofstandard and king size packs of cigarettes, and said partition, when inplace, being spaced from the-adjacent side wall a .distancesubstantially the thickness sof a book match pack, whereby to provide asingle chute for a stack of standard cigarette packs disposed iat withtheir longest dimension extending parallel with the plane of the backpanel, and a chute for a stack of book match .packs stacked edgewise, ora chute for a stack of king size cigarettes `disposed flat with theirlongest Vdimension extending parallel with the plane of the back panelupon the removal of said partition- References Cited in the le of thispatent UNITED STATES PATENTS 491,145 Taylor Feb. 7, .1893 727,260Baldwin a May 5, 1903 743,182 Meyer Nov. 3, 1903 2,041,089 Rowe May '19,1936 2,267,144 Steiner Dec. 23, 1941 2.373,014 Compton et al. n Avr. 3.1945

